Frequently Asked Questions
Below is a list of our most commonly asked questions, click on the questions below to see the answers:
What is your address and postcode?
Parking
Coaches
What is the difference between Mayfield Lavender Farm and Mayfield Lavender Gardens and Nursery?
Are dogs allowed at the Lavender farm?
When is the Lavender in flower?
How much does entry cost?
What is the best way to get to our Farm in Banstead?
What is the best way to get to Mayfield Lavender Nursery and Gift Shop in Epsom?
Do I need to book in advance?
What facilities and toilets do you have at the Lavender Farm?
Can I pick the lavender?
Are Picnics allowed?
Is the farm accessible for disabled visitors?
What else is there to see and do in the area?
Can I take photos?
Are Drones permitted?
What is your address and postcode?
We have two locations
1: Mayfield Lavender Farm
1 Carshalton Road,
Banstead,
SM7 3JA
Our 25 acre lavender field with café and shop is located in Banstead (Woodmansterne), Surrey – Approximately 15 miles from Central London.
Opening Times: June to August 31st – 7 days per week, 9am to 6 pm (this may vary at the start or end of season – please monitor website or Follow Us on Facebook to stay up to date)
2: Mayfield Lavender Nursery and Gift Shop
139 Reigate Rd (near Driftbridge Audi Garage),
Epsom,
KT17 3DW
15 miles from Central London.
Open 9am to 5pm Monday to Saturday.
What is the difference between Mayfield Lavender Farm and Mayfield Lavender Nursery and Gift Shop?
Our farm in Banstead is where we grow 25 acres of our lavender crop for organic oil and is open to the public from June to September to experience the loveliness of a sea of lavender! It also has a shop and al fresco café.
Our Nursery and Gift Shop in Epsom is 12 acres of lavender, fruit trees and glasshouses together with our permanent shop that is open all year round. From here we sell a range of plants, garden accessories and lavender products including toiletries, sachets and culinary treats and unusual gifts. We also sell lovely Christmas Trees and decorations in Winter.
Are dogs allowed at the Lavender farm?
We love dogs but we ask you to remember that not everyone does. We therefore welcome well-behaved dogs but they must be kept on a lead at all times. Please bring poop bags with you to clean up after your dog!
When is the Lavender in flower? Harvesting 2020.
Please check the website for updates on the flowering and harvesting of the Lavender as this is dependent on the weather. The peak flowering time is usually from the middle/end of June to the start of September. This can vary depending on the weather and some years it may start as early as the second week of June and may stop flowering before the end of August: NEWSFLASH – We have harvested the first 50% (Front half) and the back half will be harvested around the 29th to 30th/31st August weather permitting. We will update the flowering information on the FAQ section above. You can also check Facebook follow us on Facebook to stay up to date.
How much does entry cost?
Entry to our farm in Banstead costs £4 per adult. FREE entry for children under 16. Car Parking on our farm is FREE. Mayfield is a dog friendly farm, however, we do ask you to keep your beloved pet on a lead at all times and pick-up any mess after your dog. Please note that there is a separate registration fee for professional photographers, film-makers and amateurs conducting shoots – here is the link https://www.mayfieldlavender.com/photographers-registration/.
Please note we do not permit Picnics as over the years we have learned the hard way that it simply generates rubbish.
What is the best way to get to our Farm in Banstead?
Please refer to the Visit section of our website for more detailed information.
By Car: You can also plan your journey using Google Maps or a Satnav using the SM7 3JA postcode.
By Public transport: There are several options to get to us easily.
Option A: Train from London Victoria to West Croydon and then take the 166 bus to our gate (this way can get busy when it is peak season)
Option B: Train from London Victoria to Sutton and take the S1 bus to Banstead (Woolpack stop) and then the 166 bus to our gate (slightly faster route)
Option C: Train from London Victoria to Purley Station, cross the road to the large Tesco and from the front of the store take the 166 bus to Oaks Park (top tip from a regular customer). The Oaks Park bus stop is directly outside our front gate.
Option D: Fastest route – Take a train from London Victoria to Sutton and take a cab from outside the station to our farm.
What is the best way to get to Mayfield Lavender Nursery and Gift Shop in Epsom?
Please refer to the Visit section of our website for more detailed information.
- By car you can use Google Maps or a Satnav to get to the postcode KT17 3DW (139 Reigate Road)
- By public transport you can take a train from London Victoria to Epsom and then catch a 166 bus from the clocktower in Epsom. Get off at the Driftbridge stop and we are 100m from the railway bridge.
Parking on our farm
Parking is FREE to visitors who have paid the Entrance Fee of £4. Our car park has limited capacity so when it is full we must stop cars from entering. Weekends in July are the busiest time to visit. There can be significantly more people visiting on a weekend than during the week. Unfortunately there is no local overflow parking available locally except for the occasional opportunity to use an independent local rugby club car park when this is not being used for events. If this is available we can direct you to it but we must advise that the walk back to our farm is on a road with no pavement or over a stile through a field adjacent to ours. They will make an independent charge for parking on their land. If it is not available then drivers may have to return later when the volume of cars has reduced. 17.45pm is the last entry time for visitors to our farm and visitors will be ushered out no later than 18.30. The gate to our farm is locked at 7pm so all cars must have been removed by then to avoid being locked in.
Coaches – Entry to the farm is not permitted for Coaches
We are unable to permit coaches to enter our farm as there is no space to turn once inside. Coaches should quickly drop their passengers at the bus stop immediately outside our main entrance and the passengers should enter as pedestrians. Please be aware that coaches can block the road so consideration should be shown to local residents and coaches should not linger once their passengers have alighted. Please send us an email regarding coach visitors before turning up and we can try to advise on local alternative parking. Passengers can be collected from the bus stop when it is time to leave again.
Do I need to book in advance?
Advance booking is not required. We operate on a first come first serve basis. As it can get busy at the weekends we recommend a weekday visit if possible.
What facilities do you have at the Lavender Farm?
We have a lovely small shop selling all of our Lavender products and we have a very relaxed al-fresco café selling a delicious range of light lunches such as sandwiches, burgers and panini. (During the Covid 19 period we cannot serve hot cooked food and we operate a take away menu only). Limited socially distanced seating has been provided. We also sell ice creams and our famous lavender cream tea. We are licensed to sell a range of alcoholic drinks. We provide wooden tables for you to relax and enjoy your food but we do not permit food from outside to be brought or consumed on our farm. It simply generates too much waste packaging that is left for us to clear or dispose of.
Portaloos
We are on the The Metropolitan Green Belt of London. This means that we are not permitted to build permanent buildings of any kind on our land. To overcome this we hire portable toilets as a convenience for our visitors. We are acutely aware that nobody like portaloos (including us). However in the absence of permanent facilities they are a practical solution. We clean them several times per day and supply them with toilet paper. They are not ideal but they are the best option that is available due to the restrictions of the urban planning regulations.
Can I pick the lavender?
While we encourage people to walk around freely between the rows of lavender we do not permit visitors to pick or cut the lavender so that the lavender remains beautiful for everyone to enjoy. We sell bunches of freshly cut lavender from our shop for those who wish to take a bunch of lavender home.
Are Picnics allowed?
Due to the growing issue of discarded rubbish we no longer permit picnics on our farm. Food can be bought from our café but we ask that visitors do not bring food to the farm. We ask all visitors who have dined at our cafe to help us to recycle as much as possible.
Is the farm accessible for disabled visitors?
Our farm has disabled parking close to the entrance (adjacent to the Shop and Café). The ground is reasonably level although there is a coarse covering of gravel on the road surface for cars which is normally manageable with some care. There is also a light covering of pea shingle in the shop area (outdoor) to assist drainage when wet and this is also manageable normally but care is also required as the ground is not totally level. There are no steps to negotiate but there are some short sloping sections to consider.
The surface of the cafe area is short grass.
There is a track around the perimeter of the farm and there is a footpath through the centre of the lavender with a grassed surface.
As the lavender has grown to a large size it does not allow easy wheelchair access between the rows but the cafe is immediately adjacent to the lavender so it is still possible to have a lovely view from there.
In general it is best to consider that it is basically a field that we open seasonally so while we do the best we can to make it accessible, care will be needed as the terrain varies.
What else is there to see and do in the area?
We are ideally situated for days out in the beautiful Surrey Downs.
There are lots of things to do in Surrey and you can have a look at these websites to see what else you might enjoy.
Can I take photos?
We encourage casual and fun family photos and we do not make a charge for this. If you wish to visit our farm for the purposes of wedding photography, model or landscape photography, library photography or portrait photography or any other commercial photography then you will be required to register at our shop and pay a small fee before you commence.
Details are available on this link: Photographers Registration
If you would like to talk to us about commercial filming or other use please email info@mayfieldlavender.com or call us on 07503 877 707.
Are Drones permitted?
Sorry we do not permit drones except by prior written approval. Before entering into a discussion about the use of a drone on our land please note that it is a prerequisite to have A certificate of Approval from the Civil Aviation Authority and a certificate of Public Liability Insurance. If you do not have both then we will not consider allowing a drone to fly over our land.
